Closure actuator for containers



AMug. 2, 1949. R. J. BYRD CLOSURE ACTUATOR FOR CONTAINERS Filed Aug. l, 1947 2 She'ets-Sheet l.

Attorney:

Aug 2, 1949 R. J. BYRD 2,477,719

` CLOSURE ACTUATOR FOR CONTAINERS Filed Aug. l, 1947 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 @My/uw Atlorueys Patented Aug. 2, 1*.949

UNITED STATES PATENT oFFlcE 2,477,719 oLosURu AoTUA'roa Foa CONTAINERS Robert J. Byrd, Chicago, Application August-1, 1947, Serial No. 765,317 claims. (o1. 3124-192) This invention relates to an improved construction of closure actuator for containers and more particularly has reference toa structure for normally retainin-g a closure or lid of a container in an open position and for preventing the lid from accidentally swinging to a closed position.

Moire particularly, the present invention is particularly intended and adapted for use in conjunction with or as a part of a shoe shine kit for providing a lid or closure which will not be j-arred to a closed position 'by vibration of the kit or container, when in an open position and in use.

Still a further object of the invention is to provide a device for yieldably retaining a container closure or lid in an open position and substantially at a right angle to the open top of the body of the container and which will effectively function to prevent accidental closing thereof.

Various other objects and advantages of the invention will hereinafter become more fully apparent from the following description of the drawings, illustrating a preferred embodiment thereof, yand wherein:

Figure 1 is a top plan View, partly broken away showing a shoe shine kit or container constructed in accord-ance with the invention;

Figures 2 and 2A are longitudinal Y sectional views taken substantially along planes as indicated by the lines 2-2 and 21a-T2A of Figure 1,

respectively;

Figure 3 is a cross sectional view of the kit or container taken substantially along a plane as indcated by the line 3--3 of Figure 2;

Figure 4 is a fragmentary cross sectional view thereof taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 4-74 of Figure 2A;

Figure 5 is a fragmentary longitudinal sectional View, similar to Figure 2 but showing the lid in an open position;

Figure 6 is a horizontal sectional view taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 6 6 of Figure 5;

Figure 7 is a transverse sectional View taken substantially along a plane as indicated by the line 1--1 of Figure 5, and

Figure 8 is a fragmentary front elevational View of the kit or container in a closed and latched position.

Referring more specically to the drawings, wherein the invention has been illustrated in con- `iunction with a shoe shine kit or container, said container in its entirety is designated generally I0 and is formed of two sections I I and I2 of substantially corresponding size disposed with their l section II into the lid-section I2.

. 2, open, inner `sides in abutting engagement when the container I0 is closed.

While the .container Il) has been illustrated and described as being formed of the bottom or body section Il and the lid or top section I2, both of substantially the same depth, it will be readily apparent as the description proceeds that the lid ortop section i2 could, without affecting the invention, beyof a depthsubstantially less th-an the bottom Ysection Il and it Will likewise be .readily apparent that the invention is equally well adapted to other uses` than shoe shine kits or containers, such as in providing 4a means for yieldably retainingthe lid of a trunk, chest or similar container in an open position unless the lid is latched or locked ina closed position, to thereby prevent the lidufrom accidentally falling froman open towarda closed position and possibly vcausing bodily injury.

The upper section I2 is connected Iby hinges I3 to the body section Il externally thereof and along one end, as clearly illustrated in Figure l, but said lid l2 could be hinged equally well along a side thereof to the body Il.

The body and lid sections I land I2, respectively, preferably include side and end walls I4 which are attached to an external covering I5 which kmay extend around the sides yand also across the bottom of the section II and the top of the section I2. The body section Il is provided with a secondary, internal end wall I6 which is secured to the inner side of the end wall I4 thereof located .adjacent the hinges I3 and which extends above the open top` of the body Said end Wall Ill of the body section Il is provided with spaced upwardly and inwardly opening recesses Il, as best seen in Figure 3, and the wall I6 is provided with an internal recess Iwhich extends substantially from side to side and from top to bottom thereof and is alsoprovided with openings I9 formingi communicating passages between said recess IB and the recesses Il.

In the embodiment of the invention as disclosed, the opposite end wall I4 has a post 2i) secured by fastenings 2l to the inner side thereof and which likewise rises into the lid section I2. Cne end of a foot rest 22 is suitably secured to the upper end of the post 2li and the opposite end of said foot rest 22 is suitably secured in a notch or recess 23 to the upper edge of the wall IS.

The end wall Iii of the lid section I2, disposed adjacent the hinges I3, has a plurality of rods 2@ anchored therein. Each of the rods 2li has a loweil end which extends into one of the recesses I'I,

when the lid I2 is closed, and said lower ends of the rods 24 terminate in eyes 25. The eye of the intermediate rod 24 is connected to one end of a contractile coiled spring 25 which, as best seen in Figures 2 and 4, extends therefrom up wardly through the intermediate passage i9, upwardly in the recess I8 of the wall I6, through a transverse passage 21 in the upper portion of said wall I 6 and into a recess 28 of the foot rest 22, in which the opposite end of said spring 26 is anchored at 2S. 'Iheeyes 25 of the two outermost rods 24 are each connected to an end of a contractile coiled spring 30 and said springs extend therefrom through the complementary passages I9 into the recess I8 and connect at their opposite ends to the depending ends of 4contractile coiled springs 3| which are'anchored--at their upper ends by eye fastenings 32 to thewall I5 and within the recess vI8 thereof. Two springs 30 and 3| are employed instead of a single spring due to the fact that the Ysprings 3U, 3| converge upwardly but, if desired, the spring means 39, 3| could be disposed parallel to another and to the spring 25 and in such case could be formed from a single spring. Likewise, if desired, the spring 26 could be anchored in the recess I3 to an eye fastening 32, as are the springs 3|.

As seen in Figures 1 and 2, the top oi the lid or closure section I2 is provided with a pivotally mounted handle 33 and a latch means 3G, of conventional construction, is associated with the free end walls of said sections II and I2 for latching the lid section I2 in a closed position on the body section II, as illustrated in Figures 1 and 2.

To open the lid I2, it is only necessary to disengageV the latch 34 to permit the springs 26 and 30, 3| to retract for pulling the lower ends of the rods 24, to which they are connected, inwardly and upwardly ofthe container Ill through the passages I9 from the recesses I1 into the recess II for swinging the lid-section I2 counterclockwise from its position of Figure 2, to its open position of Figure 5. It will be noted that the openings or passages I9 extend to above the recesses I1 and the upper ends thereof form stops for engagement with the rods 24 for limiting the opening swinging movement of the lid section I2 to prevent it from swinging past a substantially vertical or upright position, as seen -in Figures and 6. When the lid I2 is fully opened, as seen in Figure 5, the springs 3|), 3| will assume substan tially the positions of Figure 7.

It will be readily obvious that the shoe shine kit II] may be utilized for shining shoes, when in an open position by resting either foot on the foot rest 22 while the shoe is shined, and the body portion II will aord a storage space for shoe polishes, brushes and the like, not shown.

Various modiiications and changes, in addition to those previously referred to, are contemplated and may obviously be resorted to, without departing from the spirit or scope of the invention as hereinafter deiined by the appended claims.

I claim as my invention:

1. In a lid actuator for containers having hinged, recessed lids, a rod anchored in the lid adjacent its hinged edge and extending into a portion of the body of the container, said container body having an interior portion rising above the open top thereof and having an upper part normally disposed within the lid when the latter is in a closed position, resilient means anchored to said interior portion adjacent the top thereof and connected to the lower end of said rod for urging said rod upwardly and inwardly with respect to the container for normally urging the lid toward an open position.

2. An actuator for container closures as in claim 1, and said interior portion of the body having a stop portion for engagement with said rod for limiting the movement of the lid toward an open position.

3. An actuator for container closures as in claim 1, and said interior portion of the body having a stop portion for engagement with said rod for limiting the movement of the lid toward an open position and for combining with said resilient means for normally retaining the lid at substantially a right angle to the container body.

4. In a closure actuator for containers having recessed lids, a container body, a closure hinged thereto along one edge thereof, an internal wall in said container body extending into the closure when the latter is in a closed position, a plurality of rods anchored to the lid along its hinged edge and extending downwardly into the container body when the lid is in a closed position, and resilient means anchored to the upper portion oi said internal wall of the container body and connected to the lower ends of said rods for normally urging the lid toward an open position.

5. A container lid actuator as in claim 4, and said internal wall having stop means engageable by said rods for limiting the opening movement of the lid in response to said resilient means.

ROBERT J. BYRD.

REFERENCES CITED The following referenlces are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 409,009 Buckmaster Aug. 13, 1889 1,053,758 Turnbull Feb. 18, 1918 1,455,133 Downs May 15, 1923 2,368,146 Kooyman Jan. 30, 1945 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 254,872 Great Britain July 15, 1926 

